Stats: Liverpool linked with Vorm, how does he compare to Mignolet?

However, the Dutch goalkeeper says he has no idea where the speculation has come from.

As part of his transfer plans this summer, Brendan Rodgers has hinted that he would like to strengthen in every area, which will include a new goalkeeper.

Simon Mignolet was brought in from Sunderland last summer for around £9m, and Rodgers has said recently that the Belgian could be Liverpool’s number one goalkeeper for years to come.

So if a new goalkeeper came to the club to provide competition for Mignolet, they may not get the game time they would like at the club. One person that has been linked is Swansea City keeper Michel Vorm, someone who Rodgers knows very well from his time in South Wales.

But how do the statistics compare over the past season, and would he be a worthy acquisition for Liverpool?

Team

Pos

Cross Not Claimed

Apps

Mins

Simon Mignolet

Liverpool

GK

6

38

3,420

Michel Vorm

Swansea

GK

1

26

2,339

Mignolet has also claimed just the one more cross in the air this season despite playing 12 more games. This is often seen as a weakness to Mignolet's game, but one must remember that Vorm has played a third less games but one cross unclaimed is a pretty good record. The statistics would suggest that Vorm is more accustomed to coming for the ball and claiming crosses than Mignolet.

Team

Pos

Saves / apps

Apps

Mins

Simon Mignolet

Liverpool

GK

2.82

38

3,420

Michel Vorm

Swansea

GK

2.38

26

2,339

But when it comes to shot stopping the Belgian is ahead of the Dutchman, as on average he makes half a save more per game than Vorm. Some have said that Mignolet is more of a shot stopper than an all round keeper with this statistic, you would be hard pressed to say he isn't the better shot stopper of the two keepers from the season that has just gone by.

Team

Pos

Accurate Goal Kicks / apps

Apps

Mins

Simon Mignolet

Liverpool

GK

5.00

38

3,420

Michel Vorm

Swansea

GK

4.27

26

2,339

Now we get onto something that Brendan Rodgers will want to see a lot of, and that's accurate distribution from goal kicks. Mignolet leads the way on accurate goal kicks per game, which is probably not surprising given that a lot of his goal kicks can be short to one of the defenders as the Reds try to play out from the back but isn't a style that Swansea are alien to either since Rodgers' departed the club for Anfield.

Team

Pos

Accurate Pass / apps

Apps

Mins

Simon Mignolet

Liverpool

GK

12.82

38

3,420

Michel Vorm

Swansea

GK

10.00

26

2,339

Here is where the statistics get a little more interesting. Unsurprisingly, their average accurate passes per game are pretty high, with Mignolet's higher than Vorm's. The reasoning behind that statistic may be hard to explain, but Liverpool may have controlled more games than Swansea with possession.

Mignolet leads on the headline statistics, but if we break it down into percentages with regards to their average passes per game that end up being accurate, it's Mignolet who leads 67.3% to Vorm's 65.7%. It's hard to see on these statistics how Vorm would be a better goalkeeper than Mignolet but the statistics are perhaps close enough to indicate that he could provide good competition to Livepool's first choice goalkeeper. The stand-out statistic that works in Vorm's favour is possibly something that catches the eye. It's something for Mignolet to work on, but also a goalkeeper with different qualities may be what is required in order to compete for the number one spot.

Overall, it may not be an improvement, and after Mignolet's first season at Anfield those statistics could improve even further, but if Vorm were to sign he may have to play second fiddle Mignolet. Whether he is prepared to do that is another matter entirely.

Ian Bolland

A journalism graduate of Liverpool John Moores University. During his time at university, Ian spent time on work experience at local newspapers in Liverpool, Bolton and Wigan, and prior to that he did work for The Observer's 'fans verdict'. Ian also has interests in news, current affairs and business but mostly sport, including football, rugby league, cricket, golf and Formula 1, amongst others.